Tag Archives: Viktor Yanukovych

When is an invasion not an invasion? When is sovereignty not sovereignty? When is an unelected regime more legitimate than an elected government? The answer, it seems, is when we are discussing Ukraine. The crisis in Ukraine has swiftly turned into a global stand-off. It has also become the focus for a war of words about the meaning of freedom, …

In just 48 hours, Russia took over and occupied Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula. The seizure of Crimea has created the greatest confrontation between Russia and the West since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia is challenging the world order and so far, the West does not have an adequate response. At an emergency meeting of the UN …

Crimea is more than a flash-point for conflict between Ukraine and Russia. War between Ukraine and Russia has potential regional and global implications. While supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, the Obama administration must be careful not to escalate tensions. It may be possible, however, to change President Vladimir Putin’s calculus through a combination of carrots and sticks. Events are fast-moving and …

The latest crisis in Ukraine broke out in late November with protests against President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal, under pressure from Russia, to sign a trade pact with the European Union and instead turn to Russia for a $15 billion loan and a significant discount on gas prices. It has been growing ever since with a police crackdown of the protestors, further government restrictions on demonstrations, …

Declining to sign an accession agreement with the European Union toward the end of 2013, Ukraine struck a major blow to the West’s wish of pulling the Eastern European country out of Russia’s sphere of influence and control. It was a great gift that Russian President Vladimir Putin got for the new 2014. To save the image of its Eastern …